Cooperation and Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran has said the State government will put responsible tourism in mission mode to cover all tourism destinations in the State, besides focusing on tourism infrastructure development.
Replying to the debate on the demands for grants of Cooperation and Tourism in the Assembly, Mr. Surendran said the Tourism Department would focus on heritage conservation projects. The second phase of the Muziris heritage project would be launched soon, along with the Thalassery and Alappuzha heritage conservation schemes. Special officers and a conservation consultant had been appointed.
In Malabar, the State government proposed to promote river cruise tourism in nine rivers in Kannur and Kasaragod at a cost of ₹300 crore. The government had give administrative sanction for the project and the initial fund requirement would be met from budgetary resources.
Crafts villages would come at Dharmadom and Kozhikode. In order to attract youngsters, the Tourism Department would focus on developing adventure tourism projects.
Several adventure parks had been proposed in Upper Sanatorium in Ponmudi, Wayanad and Kottakal in Malappuram on the lines of the Jadayupara adventure park. The State government had allocated ₹45 crore for the Prasadam project, Central scheme, and ₹120 crore for the Green Carpet scheme aimed at beatification of tourism destinations and improving basic amenities. The areas would include Alappuzha, Enranjil, Neyyar and Thenmala.
In order to cut time and cost over-runs, the department had established the Destination Monitoring Committee to keep a tab on development projects, many of which had been launched several years ago, but had not yet been completed. The local legislator would be the chairman of the committee, which would have representatives of local bodies and experts on it. Similarly, a Technical Sanction Committee had also been constituted to ensure the quality of work undertaken.
Among the other projects the Minister announced were the Kalady-Malayattoor tourism circuit, master plan for Ashtamudi and Nedumangad destinations, construction of new blocks in several State guest houses, and renovation of many of them.
